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    "Home" » Rice

    Manjulika’s Festive Basmati Rice

    Published: Nov 10, 2017 · Modified: May 12, 2022 by Althea Brown · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The thing I love the most about my extended family is how culturally diverse we are. With that diversity comes an array of amazing food. Like this Festive Basmati Rice dish that my cousin in law Manjulika (Manju) makes.

    When I lived in NY I was spoiled by all of the food Manju made for me. Her lamb curry is still my all time favorite lamb dish and she always served it with this fragrant and nutty basmati rice. When I moved to Denver I tried making lamb curry the way Manju makes it (didn’t even come close) and of course I asked her for her rice recipe. I couldn't believe how simple it was. Surely all that flavor had to come from a much more complicated dish. But it really was simple to make and I've been making it for my family ever since.

    Years later I've made different varities of this rice but Manju’s original version still remains my favorite especially at Thanksgiving. She graciously gave me the ok to share her recipe with you fine folks and I hope you that you add this Festive Basmati Rice to your Thanksgiving menu this year.

    This recipe is very simple, but loaded with flavor. The crunchiness of the nuts and sweetness of the raisins and apricots combined with the flavors and fragrance of the spices really warms me up and puts me in the holiday spirit, plus my house smells amazing while I'm cooking, which is a win for me.

    Jump to:
    • Preparing the Fruit and Nuts
    • Adding the Rice
    • The Printable Manjulika's Festive Basmati Rice Recipe Card:
    • Printable Recipe Card

    Preparing the Fruit and Nuts

    To make Manjulika's Festive Basmati Rice I start by melting half a stick of butter in a heavy pot, like a cast iron dutch oven, but really any pot you use to cook rice will work. After melting the butter, I add the spices, nuts and raisin. In this version I am using slivered almonds, because my 5 year old has a mild cashew allergy, but the original recipe calls for cashews. I let the nuts, raisins and spices cook in the butter for about 5 minutes. The butter will start to get brown which is exactly what you want to happen as this intensifies the flavor of the rice.

    Adding the Rice

    Then I add 2 cups of basmati rice (I don't wash the rice). I mix the rice really well with the spices and let it toast for a few minutes before adding the water.

    Next I add 4 cups of water and leave the pot uncovered. When the liquid comes to a rapid boil, I reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.


    It takes 20 to 30 minutes for the rice to cook. Do not open the pot during this time. Do not stir the rice or even look at it side ways. Just let it do it what it do (ha). After 30 minutes I add some chopped dried apricots to the rice and fluff the rice with a fork, taking care to mix the spices, nuts and raisins into the rice.

    This rice goes really well with Caribbean jerk turkey and cranberry chutney and of course lamb curryhttps://metemgee.com/2020/04/18/lamb-curry-curry-lamb-whole30-paleo/ or lamb stew!

    The Printable Manjulika's Festive Basmati Rice Recipe Card:

    Printable Recipe Card

    Manjulika’s Festive Basmati Rice

    Althea Brown
    A fragrant and nutty rice that brings all the flavors of the Holdiays together in one dish
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Rice Side Dish
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ stick butter
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cloves
    • 2 sticks cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 cardamom pods
    • ½ cup slivered almonds
    • 1 cup golden raisins
    • ½ cup 10-12 dried apricots (chopped)
    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 4 cups water

    Instructions
     

    • Melt butter on medium-high heat, in a large stock pot or cast iron dutch oven
    • Then add fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom to the melted butter and cook for 3 minutes
    • Next add raisins and almonds and cook for 5 minutes stirring often
    • Then add rice and mix together well letting the rice toast for about 3 minutes
    • Then add water and leave uncovered until liquid comes to a roaring boil
    • When boiling reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until rice is fully cooked about 20 to 30 minutes
    • Once rice is cooked, add chopped dried apricots and fluff with a fork
    • Serve hot

    Notes

    1. You can substitute water in this dish for vegetable stock or chicken broth to add even more flavor to the rice.
    2. You can add any combination of nuts and dried fruits. For example, cashews and cranberries work really well too.
    3. Don't add the apricots or cranberries in the beginning like I do the raisins. If you let the cranberries boil with the rice the dish will become a bit bitter and cranberry colored. The apricots will also become a bit mushy if it boils with the rice.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Rice

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Asha Bobb-Semple says

      November 23, 2017 at 8:30 pm

      Hi AlTee! I tried this rice Today and my whole family loves. it. I paired it with the delicious jerk turkey and the cranberry Mango chutney. My husband asked if you own a reStaurant, lol.It was a great feast. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        December 01, 2017 at 12:00 am

        Asha, I am so happy your family loved the recipes. Thank you so much for trying them! Yay!

        Reply
    2. Taj Foods says

      July 12, 2018 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      I love that combination of Dish, it is so delicious recipe for me. Thanks for sharing

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Cranberry, Mango and Cherry Chutney - Metemgee says:
      June 8, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      […] also thicken. I love to serve my cranberry, mango and cherry chutney warm and it goes well with my Festive Basmati Rice and Jerk […]

      Reply
    2. 1dissent says:
      January 12, 2022 at 6:04 pm

      3unbecoming

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Althea! I have a real passion for cooking, especially traditional Caribbean recipes with deep roots! I was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana and now live in Denver, Colorado with my husband and 3 kids. I am a Whole30 Certified Coach and love sharing wholesome remixes to traditional Guyanese and Caribbean dishes.

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